Little More and Time
by bellarke
Summary: He's a good man; one that she could certainly learn to care for.
1. The Wedding Night

So I'm completely obsessed with this new show called _Reign._ You might have heard of it. I, like a lot of people I think, was totally surprised and very intrigued when Bash and Kenna were forced to get married, but while it may have started in a terrible way, I'm hoping it blossoms into something wonderful. So here's my contribution I suppose.

I'm hoping to make this a series of one-shots, glimpses into the married lives of Kenna and Bash at court. This first one is pretty short, but they will vary in length I think. I've got a few ideas lined up for future installments. They won't necessrily lead on from one another - like I said, they're more like glimpses.

So, I'll stop rambling now and you can read on!

* * *

_The Wedding Night_

Greer is with her when he comes in. She's helping Kenna out of her wedding dress, and looks so sad about it too. Kenna looks up at him, eyes still red from their ceremony, and proceeds to finish a whole cup of wine before she looks away again. Bash has never felt this guilty, or ashamed. It's not his fault, but if he wasn't a bastard, if his mother was queen instead, if he'd been married to someone else, she wouldn't have to go through this. If he'd married Mary-

_Stop_, he tells himself.

'Leave us, please,' he says to Greer, hardly recognizing his own voice, he's so lost in his thoughts. Greer starts to leave and Kenna holds her hand right up until she can no longer reach. As she passes him, she gives him a look that tells him everything he already knows. That Kenna doesn't want this; she doesn't want him.

He moves further into the room and his wife visibly stiffens. _Wife_, he thinks. The word seems too disconnected in the moment.

'Do you want children?' she asks suddenly, slurring all her words.

He's caught off-guard by this. He's never really considered it, never thought that he would, except when he was duty-bound as the next in line to the throne.

'I don't know,' he says honestly. 'Do you?'

'Doesn't matter what I want,' she snaps, whirling around, spilling wine, but with a forsaken smile on her face. 'I'm just the carrier, aren't I? All hopes of titles and fortunes and legacies for any children I bare died when this marriage was forced upon us.'

Her words feel like poison; a snake biting at him, every word a new strike. All those things he wishes he had to give her, just to make her feel better.

'I'll only ever bare a bastard's child-' she sobs by the end, shoulders shaking as she tries to cover the sound.

'Kenna.' He starts toward her but she holds up a hand and he stops dead.

She clears her throat, smoothes down her dress and wipes under her eyes. With a forceful effort, she turns to him with another, much more heart-breaking smile. He's always found her remarkable in the way she can turn herself around.

'Come on then,' she says, swaying on her feet as she finishes the last little bit of wine. 'We've a marriage to consummate!'

She turns to the bed and pulls down the shoulders of her dress. Bash looks at the ground.

'Stop,' he mutters, but she doesn't.

Kenna has pulled her dress off and she's sitting against the headboard, left in nothing but her sheer underskirt. She's almost completely exposed, and Bash looks her right in the eye. They're still shining, still red, and empty as she looks back.

This isn't how a wedding night is supposed to go. He moves closer, picking up the nearest blanket. She opens her mouth to say something but stops when he covers her up. He sits in a nearby chair.

'Not tonight,' Bash says. 'Not like this.'

'Why not?'

'Just sleep.'

And even in her drunken state, with hazy thoughts and such mixed feelings, the first inklings of something like love start to spin in her heart, and she's completely unaware.

When she wakes the next morning alone and finds him asleep in a nearby chair, sleeping in yesterday's clothes, she realizes he's much more than a bastard. He's a good man; one that she could certainly learn to care for.

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_I hope you enjoyed. Please leave some feedback - maybe some ideas of what you'd like to see in future chapters? x_


	2. Calling A Bluff

This came together much quicker than expected. I'm not too sure where it fits, canon wise, because for me the timelines of 1x16 and 1x17 were slightly confusing. I suppose it could come after 1x17, if it makes sense to you! Put it wherever you want!

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_Calling A Bluff_

Kenna wasn't much in a celebratory mood, and he couldn't blame her. It had been four days since their union, and what an unhappy night it had been. Instead of celebrating as young lovers do when they commit their lives to one another, Bash slept alone in a chair, while Kenna cried herself to sleep. Wherever he goes in court now, there are whispers and servants rushing around trying not to catch his eye. Kenna tells him people snigger about her, knowing full well she can hear.

The King, in his unrelenting madness, is hosting a party for many esteemed guests, including young men of title and fortune. Bash and Kenna stay dutifully side by side, occasionally sharing a word or two but nothing of substance. Was this really the life he had to look forward to?

Music whirs in the background, some violins starting to play, and couples spill into the centre of the throne room, taking their positions and starting to dance. Kenna looks wistfully at Lola and Greer out on the floor with handsome young suitors. Bash in turn looks at her, and he truly does find her beautiful, but nothing in his heart is telling him to ask her to dance. His head is screaming that it's what he should do, because it's what husbands and wives do, but he just can't bring himself to hold out a hand. She doesn't want to dance, he thinks, because she spares him a look and then walks away.

She passes Mary and Francis as she goes, and Bash's attention is completely taken away from his retreating wife. Mary's a vision in purple and gold and Francis looks so proud beside her. Bash is proud of her too. She's quite the woman. He can scarcely believe she's real sometimes, and when he remembers she is and all the hurt he's been through _because_ she is, he has to pull himself back from a dangerous edge.

'Bash.'

He's stirred from his thoughts by his brother coming to greet him. He claps him on the shoulder in return and smiles. He's glad they're back on good terms.

'Brother,' he says.

'Where's Kenna gone?'

Bash looks around. He sees Penelope – the ridiculous Bean queen who's spending far too much time on Catherine's throne, and he doesn't even like Catherine really. He sees Greer and Lola and Lord Julian, but suspiciously missing is-

'Where's Henry?' Mary asks.

Bash clenches his jaw. He could make three guesses but he only really needs one. He proceeds out of the throne room and straight to Henry's chambers, ignoring the guards when they tell him that Henry isn't inside. They're right; he's nowhere to be seen. Bash meets Francis and Mary in the hallway on his way back to the party, and their expressions tell him enough.

'Where?'

The three of them make for the gardens, where the party has spilled out and candles are being lit all around. He's rushing around the guests ad he doesn't know why he feels such urgency to get to Kenna's side. It might be their agreement, that they'd be true to one another, but it could just be something more than that. It could even be that he cares.

'Kenna,' he says loudly when he sees her being paraded around by the King. Henry has a tight grip on her arm as he shows her off to young nobleman, like she's some prize they'll never win. Bash starts towards them, but Francis stops him quickly.

'Don't be rash. He might be mad but he's still the King.'

Bash heeds his words, then turns for his wife again.

'Father,' he says cheerfully. 'I hope you don't mind, but,' he takes Kenna's hand and pulls her to his side. She doesn't resist. Rather, she seems to fit comfortably in his embrace and puts her hand on his chest.

'We'll be retiring, now,' Bash says with a grin. He hopes his father understands, and he does.

'Don't let us stop you,' the King says, smirking at his former mistress. Bash's grip on her tightens just a bit, and her arms goes around her husband's waist too.

* * *

'Thank you,' Kenna says when they're safely alone in their chambers.

She's already in her bed, and he's just settling into his own on the other end of the room. By day it's somewhere to sit, and to anyone with an unsuspecting eye that's what it stays. Francis and Mary are the only ones who know the marriage has yet to be consummated, and they're entrusted to keep the secret.

So it's not a surprise when Francis arrives two minutes later, barging in without knocking, and causing Bash to leap from his bed and reach for his sword. He drops it the moment he recognizes his brother.

'What's going on?' Kenna asks, worriedly looking to her husband. He gives her a reassuring nod.

'Father's on his way,' Francis informs them solemnly. 'He said he wants to be sure this gamble he took is paying off.'

It takes a moment for Bash to realize why.

'Or his sword will take two lives,' Bash finishes.

'What do you mean?' Kenna asks quietly. But she already knows.

She throws back the sheets of her bed and beckons for Bash to join her. Francis immediately goes for Bash's bed, throwing the pillows back together and ridding it of blankets. He leaves them then. Kenna messes her hair and pulls the arms of her nightgown down. She huddles under a blanket and to Henry, from under the sheets, she'll look naked. Bash removes his shirt, left in his trousers. And while they're rushing to play the part, Kenna takes a brief moment to appreciate him. She takes another minutes later when they're lying in bed and his arms are wrapped around her, holding her close. She's never felt quite this safe before.

They pretend to be asleep when the King arrives. Bash sits up but places a hand on her shoulder and she stays where she is, eyes closed and pleading for this to pass quickly.

Bash winks at his father, who tries to call his bluff. But Bash is skilled at lying now; he's managing to hide many things from many people, and this is no exception.

'She's quite something,' he tells his father, and it's enough.

When the door is closed on them, Kenna opens her eyes.

'He believed us.'

'Hard not to,' Bash whispers in return.

Oddly, then, he lies back down and Kenna doesn't ask him to leave. He doesn't hold her like before, but they lie on their backs and think the night away. They fall asleep side by side, and by morning she's wrapped in his arms once more.

* * *

_Hope you liked it, guys. I enjoyed writing this one a lot. Making Henry a villain this way makes for interesting writing._  
_Please leave me some feedback and I'll love you forever! x_


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